5 Illegal Gold Miners In Central Kalimantan Arrested, Excavators Up To Rp235 Million In Cash Confiscated

Direskrimsus Polda Central Kalimantan Kombes Kiswandi Irwan (third left) accompanied by Head of Public Relations Kombes Kombes Eko Saputro (third right) explained the catch in the PETI/ANTARA/Adi Wibowo operation

PALANGKA RAYA - The Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation of the Regional Police of Central Kalimantan arrested five illegal or illegal gold miners at four locations.

Director of Special Criminal Investigation of the Central Kalimantan Police, Commissioner Kaswandi Irwan, said the five illegal mining actors were arrested during the 2022 Telabang Operation which took place from July 12 to August 5, 2022. The five perpetrators had the initials AW (37), NR (43), WN (45), MS ( 30), and BN (31).

"From the hands of the perpetrators who have been designated as suspects, we confiscated some evidence in the form of tools and products from gold mining without a permit", he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 24.

The evidence that has been confiscated by investigators includes 1,396.69 kilograms of zircon, one gold refining device, one heavy excavator unit, two pumping machines, and more than Rp235 million in cash belonging to the four suspects.

"Our success in uncovering the PETI case is inseparable from the cooperation of all levels of society in providing information related to the mining", said Kaswandi.

From the PETI case, Kaswandi continued, the suspects were charged with Article 158 and Article 161 of Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning Amendments to Law Number 4 of 2009 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining.

"Regarding the threat of punishment from the alleged article, which is a maximum of five years in prison, a minimum fine of IDR 100 billion", said Kaswandi.

Meanwhile, the Head of Public Relations of the Central Kalimantan Police, Kismanto Eko Saputro, emphasized that the National Police will not remain silent on community elements who dare to carry out illegal mining practices within the jurisdiction of the local police.

"The operations carried out by our members are none other than protecting and preserving the environment, and the most important thing is to prevent the impact of environmental damage from what is done by unscrupulous people", said Kismanto.